Chronic stress doesn’t just “feel bad” — it rewires how you think.

When pressure builds, the part of your brain responsible for strategy and decision-making goes offline…

and your survival system takes over.

In this Paradox Byte, Ale Wiecek Rojo explains:
– why founders keep pushing even when they’re burning out– what’s happening neurologically– and why burnout often goes unnoticed until it’s too late

A short trailer. A big reality check.

The full episode is live on the Perception Paradox podcast.

What if the way we work was never designed for the female body in the first place?

In this episode of Perception Paradox, Zivile Einikyte sits down with Ale Wiecek Rojo - founder, author, and hormone health educator - to unpack the hidden cost of building, leading, and performing inside systems calibrated around male biology.

They explore:

• what chronic stress does to the founder brain
• how hormonal cycles influence energy, risk, and decision-making
• why burnout can look different in women
• what perimenopause is actually doing to performance
• and how founders can work with biology instead of against it

This is not just a women’s health episode. It’s a conversation about business, leadership, and the body we were never taught to listen to.

Connect with Ale:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alewiecek/

Check out her company:
www.biftsbo.com
Podcast:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGKpOOujcKJlOods0Q_583A

Hosted by Zivile Einikyte:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/zivileeinikyte/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene

04:33 Understanding Chronic Stress and Burnout

10:10 The Impact of Hormonal Cycles on Decision-Making

17:08 Strategies for Female Founders

21:27 Workplace Culture and Hormonal Health Awareness

25:13 Supporting Mental Health in the Workplace

27:06 Personal Journey to Advocacy

29:52 Practical Steps for Managing Hormonal Imbalances

34:25 Understanding Early Perimenopause

37:15 The Role of Breath in Healing

40:52 Future Projects and Community Engagement

42:12 A Thought to Ponder

How does an early-stage investor actually decide?

In this excerpt from Perception Paradox, Jakob Storå of Superhero Capital breaks down what he looks for in founders: conviction, ambition, execution, and the ability to make others believe.

A sharp conversation on why strong teams change everything.

Full episode on Perception Paradox podcast - E130 with Jakob Stora.